Rhtytm and Percussion with Signs is an innovative way to play percussion created by the Argentinian musician Santiago Vázquez, who was Inspired in Conduction® (free structured improvisation) developed by Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris in Jazz. Santiago was looking for a way to communicate certain information to musicians improvising percussion, in order to generate coordination and harmonization of a spontaneous creativity.
Through these attemps, little by little he codified a language consisting in approximately 150 signs executed with hands and body by the conductor in order to coordinate the flux of group improvisation. This truly transforms individual ideas in a real-time collective composition.
The method was first implemented by Santiago in the famous band La Bomba de Tiempo, which is currently an obligatory reference in Argentinian Percussion. Later he used the system with his current band La Grande where he also involves harmonic and melodic instruments. Today, the method is used by a great variety of groups in several countries, including Colombia, where La Percumotora has been the pioneer group.
Rhythm and Percussion with Signs is a very innovative practice in the field of rhytmic music in general, and percussion in particular. However, its applications have gone beyond the stages. It is simple to learn and it has an enormous potential as a tool for integration between individuals and groups. These qualities take the system to very different institutional environments: Education, therapy, organizations and even integration programs for socially marginalized groups.
The implementation of the method, playful in essence, involves the practice of skills such as external and internal listening, proactive attitudes, comprehension of roles within a group, coordination, creativity, appreciation of diversity, usability of mistakes and leadership capacities.
La Percumotora… Never sounds the same!